Racers Advance to Semifinals in Extra Innings Thriller

Thursday, May 7

Carbondale, IL

3 p.m.

Murray State

28-21

Southern Illinois University

33-16

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Murray St.	0	1	3	1	0	0	0	0	1	6	8	0
Southern Ill.	1	1	0	1	0	0	2	0	0	5	9	0

Photo by: David Eaton-Murray State Athletics

Racers Advance to Semifinals in Extra Innings Thriller

5/7/2026 7:06:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Murray State Outlasts SIU in MVC Quarterfinal

By: Charlie Williams

The Murray State Racers (28-21, 17-9 MVC) defeated the Southern Illinois Salukis (33-16, 21-6 MVC) 6-5 in nine innings to advance to the semifinal round of the Missouri Valley Conference Softball Championship in Carbondale, Illinois.

After starting pitcher Bre Haislip struck out a pair of Saluki hitters, the Salukis got on the board with a first-inning RBI double to take a 1-0 lead. With two runners in scoring position, Raylee Roby entered the game in relief of Haislip and closed the inning by striking out Mikaela Coburn.

Allie Waldron opened the following inning by going deep to left with an opposite-field solo home run to tie the game in the second inning. After the Salukis added another run on an RBI single to take a 2-1 lead, Raylee Roby ended another inning with a strikeout with opposing runners in scoring position.

In the top of the third, Adison Hicks was hit by a pitch, and Parker Holcombe walked before both advanced into scoring position on stolen bases. Allie Waldron then delivered her second bomb of the game, a three-run shot to left-center field that gave Murray State a 4-2 lead. In the bottom of the inning, the Salukis again put a pair of runners into scoring position before Raylee Roby ended the inning with another strikeout.

The Racers added another run in the top of the fourth as Ava Ozment fired a pinch-hit solo homer to right field, increasing the lead to 5-2. The Salukis responded again with a solo homer of their own to cut the Murray State lead to two runs yet again.

After neither team plated a run in the fifth and sixth innings, SIU tied the game in the bottom of the seventh on a two-run homer via Sydney Potter that sent the game to extra innings.

While both teams put runners on base in the eighth inning, neither was able to score, bringing the Racers back to the plate in the top of the ninth. Kynadee Warner led off the inning with a single up the middle and eventually advanced all the way to third on a sacrifice and a groundout. Allie Waldron came through yet again with a clutch hit, roping a single just past the infielder's glove down the first-base line and scoring Warner to give the Racers a 6-5 lead.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, reliever Karlye Graber drew a pair of flyouts and hit one batter before ending the game with a swinging strikeout.

The Racers ended the game with six runs on eight hits, committed no errors, and stranded nine base runners. The Salukis scored five runs on nine hits, committed no errors, and left 11 runners on base.

"We have learned a lot throughout the year," said head coach Kara Amundson. "We've gotten to a point now where nothing fazes us ... so proud of their resilience."

Karlye Graber (10-5) earned the win in the circle after coming in during the seventh and pitching 2 2/3 innings with two strikeouts, no earned runs, and just one hit allowed. Bre Haislip got a pair of strikeouts in 2/3 of an inning as the starter before being relieved by Raylee Roby, who pitched 5 2/3 innings and struck out five while allowing four earned runs on six hits.

Allie Waldron went 3-for-4 at the plate with two home runs, a single, five RBI, and a stolen base, and was hit by a pitch. Kynadee Warner also went 3-for-5 with a run scored. Ava Ozment homered in her only at-bat, while Reagan Towns got one hit in three appearances at the plate. Adison Hicks and Parker Holcombe had a stolen base each.

Up Next
The Racers move on to face the top-seeded Belmont Bruins in the semifinal round. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. CDT on Friday, May 8.

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